MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Vitanol Pro Ampoule Versus Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum

MEDI-PEEL Peptide 9 Vitanol Pro Ampoule Versus Some By Mi Retinol Intense Reactivating Serum

This anti-aging ampoule is formulated around Niacinamide and Retinal to soften the look of wrinkles and fade the look of dark spots.

This anti-aging serum is formulated around Retinol and Bakuchiol to soften the look of wrinkles and refine skin texture.

What's inside

Key Ingredients

Benefits

Concerns

Ingredients Side-by-side

Water

Niacinamide

Butylene Glycol

Propanediol

1,2-Hexanediol

Hydrogenated Coconut Oil

Hydrolyzed Collagen

Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract

Panthenol

Citrus Junos Peel Oil

Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate

Alpha-Ionol

Bisabolol

Cetearyl Olivate

Glycerin

Sorbitan Olivate

Methylpropanediol

Carbomer

Tromethamine

Inulin Lauryl Carbamate

Cetyl Palmitate

Adenosine

Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride

Glucosylrutin

Sorbitan Palmitate

Xanthan Gum

Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate

Ethylhexylglycerin

Disodium EDTA

Elaeis Guineensis Oil

Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract

Polyglutamic Acid

Hydrogenated Lecithin

Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract

Hydrolyzed Sponge

Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables

Camellia Japonica Flower Extract

Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract

Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract

Lactobacillus Ferment

Salicylic Acid

Sucrose Palmitate

Citric Acid

Alteromonas Ferment Extract

Ectoin

Phenethyl Alcohol

Retinyl Palmitate

Tocopherol

Menadione

Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate

Glutathione

Artemisia Annua Extract

Linoleic Acid

Pentylene Glycol

Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract

Caprylyl Glycol

Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil

Arachis Hypogaea Oil

Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract

Linolenic Acid

Cocos Nucifera Oil

Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate

Olea Europaea Fruit Oil

Ascorbic Acid

Chlorella Minutissima Extract

Sodium Phosphate

Lecithin

Retinal

Acetyl Hexapeptide-8

Copper Tripeptide-1

Oligopeptide-29

Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4

Acetyl Octapeptide-3

Oligopeptide-32

Oligopeptide-6

Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5

Sh-Oligopeptide-1

Sh-Oligopeptide-2

Sh-Polypeptide-1

Sh-Polypeptide-10

Sh-Polypeptide-60

Parfum

Water, Niacinamide, Butylene Glycol, Propanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Hydrolyzed Collagen, Hippophae Rhamnoides Fruit Extract, Panthenol, Citrus Junos Peel Oil, Methyl Glucose Sesquistearate, Alpha-Ionol, Bisabolol, Cetearyl Olivate, Glycerin, Sorbitan Olivate, Methylpropanediol, Carbomer, Tromethamine, Inulin Lauryl Carbamate, Cetyl Palmitate, Adenosine, Caprylic/Capric Triglyceride, Glucosylrutin, Sorbitan Palmitate, Xanthan Gum, Hydrogenated Ethylhexyl Olivate, Ethylhexylglycerin, Disodium EDTA, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Solanum Lycopersicum Fruit Extract, Polyglutamic Acid, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Belamcanda Chinensis Root Extract, Hydrolyzed Sponge, Hydrogenated Olive Oil Unsaponifiables, Camellia Japonica Flower Extract, Citrus Unshiu Peel Extract, Haematococcus Pluvialis Extract, Lactobacillus Ferment, Salicylic Acid, Sucrose Palmitate, Citric Acid, Alteromonas Ferment Extract, Ectoin, Phenethyl Alcohol, Retinyl Palmitate, Tocopherol, Menadione, Polyglyceryl-4 Oleate, Glutathione, Artemisia Annua Extract, Linoleic Acid, Pentylene Glycol, Phaeodactylum Tricornutum Extract, Caprylyl Glycol, Helianthus Annuus Seed Oil, Arachis Hypogaea Oil, Rosmarinus Officinalis Leaf Extract, Linolenic Acid, Cocos Nucifera Oil, Polyglyceryl-10 Laurate, Olea Europaea Fruit Oil, Ascorbic Acid, Chlorella Minutissima Extract, Sodium Phosphate, Lecithin, Retinal, Acetyl Hexapeptide-8, Copper Tripeptide-1, Oligopeptide-29, Palmitoyl Pentapeptide-4, Acetyl Octapeptide-3, Oligopeptide-32, Oligopeptide-6, Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-5, Sh-Oligopeptide-1, Sh-Oligopeptide-2, Sh-Polypeptide-1, Sh-Polypeptide-10, Sh-Polypeptide-60, Parfum

Cyclohexasiloxane

Dicaprylyl Carbonate

Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin)

Tocopheryl Acetate

Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract

Centella Asiatica Extract

Panax Ginseng Berry Extract

Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract

Ficus Carica Fruit Extract

Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract

Centella Asiatica Root Extract

Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract

Artemisia Capillaris Extract

Eclipta Prostrata Extract

Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract

Glyceryl Stearate

Bakuchiol

Palmitic Acid

Sodium Polyacrylate

Stearic Acid

Retinol 0.1%

Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer

Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate

Polyquaternium-51

Beta-Glucan

Cetyl Alcohol

BHT

Collagen

Myristic Acid

BHA

Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate

Bifida Ferment Lysate

Ceramide NP

Saccharomyces Ferment

Asiaticoside

Glyceryl Polymethacrylate

Madecassoside

Propylene Glycol

Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate

Glycolipids

Glycine Soja Peptide

Resveratrol

Sucrose Distearate

Asiatic Acid

Madecassic Acid

Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil

PEG-100 Stearate

Polysorbate 20

Water, Cyclohexasiloxane, Dicaprylyl Carbonate, Glycerin, Methylpropanediol, 1,2-Hexanediol, Niacinamide, Hydrogenated Poly(C6-14 Olefin), Panthenol, Tocopheryl Acetate, Piper Methysticum Leaf/Root/Stem Extract, Centella Asiatica Extract, Panax Ginseng Berry Extract, Glycyrrhiza Glabra Root Extract, Ficus Carica Fruit Extract, Centella Asiatica Leaf Extract, Centella Asiatica Root Extract, Melaleuca Alternifolia Leaf Extract, Artemisia Capillaris Extract, Eclipta Prostrata Extract, Melia Azadirachta Leaf Extract, Elaeis Guineensis Oil, Hydrogenated Lecithin, Glyceryl Stearate, Bakuchiol, Palmitic Acid, Sodium Polyacrylate, Stearic Acid, Xanthan Gum, Retinol 0.1%, Acrylates/C10-30 Alkyl Acrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dipotassium Glycyrrhizate, Adenosine, Tromethamine, Polyquaternium-51, Beta-Glucan, Cetyl Alcohol, BHT, Collagen, Myristic Acid, BHA, Leuconostoc/Radish Root Ferment Filtrate, Tocopherol, Bifida Ferment Lysate, Ceramide NP, Saccharomyces Ferment, Retinal, Asiaticoside, Glyceryl Polymethacrylate, Madecassoside, Propylene Glycol, Polyglyceryl-10 Oleate, Glycolipids, Glycine Soja Peptide, Resveratrol, Sucrose Distearate, Asiatic Acid, Madecassic Acid, Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1, Moringa Oleifera Seed Oil, PEG-100 Stearate, Polysorbate 20, Parfum, Ethylhexylglycerin

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Alternatives

Ingredients Explained

These ingredients are found in both products.

Ingredients higher up in an ingredient list are typically present in a larger amount.

1,2-Hexanediol is a synthetic liquid and another multi-functional powerhouse.

It is a:

Humectant, drawing moisture into the skin

Emollient, helping to soften skin

Solvent, dispersing and stabilizing formulas

Preservative booster, enhancing the antimicrobial activity of other preservatives

Adenosine is a purine nucleoside that your body already makes in every cell. In skincare, it acts mainly as a skin conditioning and anti-aging agent.

The way it works is fairly well mapped out:

Your skin has cells called fibroblasts that build collagen (the stuff that keeps skin firm and smooth). Adenosine basically flips a switch on these cells that tells them to get to work making more collagen and other proteins. These cells slow down on their own as skin ages, so Adenosine helps give them a little nudge to keep going.

The clinical backing is pretty solid too.

A blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial of 126 women aged 45-65 tested a 0.1% cream twice daily and found real improvements in crow's feet and frown lines using a precise 3D skin-mapping technique; these changes showed up by week 3 and held at 2 months.

A later study using Adenosine-loaded dissolving microneedle patches reported gains in wrinkle depth, dermal density, elasticity, and hydration.

On concentrations, South Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has set 0.04% as the approved functional anti-wrinkle level. You'll typically see this ingredient used somewhere in the 0.04-0.1% range since it works at low doses.

This ingredient has been found safe for cosmetics with the data showing no irritation or sensitization.

Overall, this is a great ingredient for any anti-aging routine and has no photosensitizing effect, so it suits both AM and PM use.

Butylene Glycol (or BG) is used within cosmetic products for a few different reasons:

Overall, Butylene Glycol is a safe and well-rounded ingredient that works well with other ingredients.

Though this ingredient works well with most skin types, some people with sensitive skin may experience a reaction such as allergic rashes, closed comedones, or itchiness.

This ingredient is also known as African Palm Oil. It is a plant-based emollient that is slightly occlusive leaning.

As an emollient, it helps moisturize the skin and supports the lipid barrier. Clinical testing found it improved skin hydration, reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL), and increased skin elasticity.

The Cosmetic Ingredient Review Panel has assessed the available safety data and found it to safe in cosmetics.

The comedogenic rating of 2/5 means it is low-to-moderate risk of pore clogging; please remember comedogenic ratings cannot predict how the overall formula will behave on skin.

Because its dominant fatty acids (palmitic and oleic acid) fall within the C11-24 range that Malassezia can use as a growth substrate, this ingredient may not be fungal acne safe.

Ethylhexylglycerin is created from glycerin. It is a multitasker ingredient that:

The CIR Expert Panel found minimal skin absorption or sensitization of any kind in a safety assessment. Though this ingredient is considered well-tolerated, a small number of cases of allergic dermatitis have been published since 2002. Just be sure to patch test if you are unsure.

Industry-reported use ranges from 8% in rinse-off products and 2% in leave-on formulations.

Glycerin (or glycerol) is a compound naturally found in your skin. It's a powerhouse humectant that pulls water into the stratum corneum.

Topically, glycerin does several things at once:

Your skin makes glycerin on its own (mostly from sebaceous oil breakdown) and shuttles it to your outermost layer of skin, or your epidermis, via aquaporin-3.

Aquaporin-3 is a transporter that is essential for normal skin hydration, elasticity, and repair. Interestingly, mice lacking in AQP3 have dry and less elastic skin that can be fully corrected with glycerin.

This ingredient is non-irritating, plays well with almost every ingredient, and works across all skin types. Typical use is anywhere between 3-10% but can go up to 79% in some leave-on products.

Just know very high concentrations (>40%) can feel tacky in low humidity.

Glycerin is the name for this ingredient in American English. British English uses Glycerol/Glycerine.

Hydrogenated Lecithin is a more stable version of lecithin.

It's made by taking lecithin (a phospholipid commonly found in soybeans and egg yolks) and hydrogenating it. This just means the unsaturated fatty acids are turned into saturated ones so they don't go bad as easily.

This ingredient is an emollient, emulsifier, and penetration enhancer. As an emollient, it helps soften and hydrate skin by trapping moisture within. As an emulsifier, it prevents oil and water ingredients from separating.

Hydrogenated Lecithin can form tiny spherical structures made of phospholipid bilayers called liposomes. These liposomes are able to capture compounds inside their structure and deliver them through the skin barrier.

Because phospholipids are a natural component of our cell membranes, this ingredient is inherently compatible with skin.

A 2021 study found lecithin-based surfactants were less harsh and more tolerable comared to Sodium Lauryl Sulfate (SLS).

Methylpropanediol is a synthetic solvent and humectant.

As a solvent, it helps dissolve other ingredients, helping to evenly distribute ingredients throughout the product. This ingredient has also been shown to have antimicrobial properties which makes it a preservative booster.

Methylpropanediol is able to add a bit of moisture to the skin. It also helps other ingredients be better absorbed into the skin, such as salicylic acid.

Niacinamide is a multitasking form of vitamin B3 that strengthens the skin barrier, reduces pores and dark spots, regulates oil, and improves signs of aging.

And the best part? It's gentle and well-tolerated by most skin types, including sensitive and reactive skin.

You might have heard of "niacin flush", or the reddening of skin that causes itchiness. Niacinamide has not been found to cause this.

In very rare cases, some individuals may not be able to tolerate niacinamide at all or experience an allergic reaction to it.

If you are experiencing flaking, irritation, and dryness with this ingredient, be sure to double check all your products as this ingredient can be found in all categories of skincare.

When incorporating niacinamide into your routine, look out for concentration amounts. Typically, 5% niacinamide provides benefits such as fading dark spots. However, if you have sensitive skin, it is better to begin with a smaller concentration.

When you apply niacinamide to your skin, your body converts it into nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD). NAD is an essential coenzyme that is already found in your cells as "fuel" and powers countless biological processes.

In your skin, NAD helps repair cell damage, produce new healthy cells, support collagen production, strengthen the skin barrier, and fight environmental stressors (like UV and pollution).

Our natural NAD levels start to decline with age, leading to slower skin repair, visible aging, and a weaker skin barrier. By providing your skin niacinamide, you're recharging your skin's NAD levels. This leads to stronger, healthier, and younger looking skin.

Another name for vitamin B3 is nicotinamide. This vitamin is water-soluble and our bodies don't store it. We obtain Vitamin B3 from either food or skincare. Meat, fish, wheat, yeast, and leafy greens contain vitamin B3.

The type of niacinamide used in skincare is synthetically created.

Palmitoyl Tripeptide-1 (aka Pal-GHK) is a synthetic signal peptide made of three amino acids attached to palmitic acid.

That fatty acid attachment is the key: it boosts the peptide's ability to penetrate the skin barrier. This puts it closer to the dermal cells where it can actually make a difference.

Once there, it acts as a matrikine, a signaling peptide that prompts fibroblasts to produce more collagen, fibronectin, and hyaluronic acid.

In vitro studies show it can boost collagen production in skin cells even when UV-damaged skin samples were treated with it at a tiny concentration (it almost fully restored dermal collagen at 5ppm). It achieved this at 100x lower concentration than retinoic acid, which needed 500 ppm to do the same thing.

Human clinical data is promising, but modest:

A study of 23 female volunteers found a small but statistically significant increase (~4%) in skin thickness after treatment at 4 ppm.

A separate small trial of 15 women showed statistically significant reductions in wrinkle length, depth, and skin roughness after applying it twice daily for four weeks.

You'll likely see Pal-GHK paired with Palmitoyl Tetrapeptide-7 as part of the Matrixyl 3000 complex.

Fungal acne note: Usually a palmitic acid component can feed Malassezia in unbound form, but here is is covalently bonded to the peptide. This means it is very difficult for Malassezia to access, and therefore very unlikely to cause fungal acne.

Panthenol is a common ingredient that helps hydrate and soothe the skin. It is found naturally in our skin and hair.

There are two forms of panthenol: D and L.

D-panthenol is also known as dexpanthenol. Most cosmetics use dexpanthenol or a mixture of D and L-panthenol.

Panthenol is famous due to its ability to go deeper into the skin's layers. Using this ingredient has numerous pros (and no cons):

Like hyaluronic acid, panthenol is a humectant. Humectants are able to bind and hold large amounts of water to keep skin hydrated.

This ingredient works well for wound healing. It works by increasing tissue in the wound and helps close open wounds.

Once oxidized, panthenol converts to pantothenic acid. Panthothenic acid is found in all living cells.

This ingredient is also referred to as pro-vitamin B5.

Parfum is a catch-all term for an ingredient or more that is used to give a scent to products.

Also called "fragrance", this ingredient can be a blend of hundreds of chemicals or plant oils. This means every product with "fragrance" or "parfum" in the ingredients list is a different mixture.

For instance, Habanolide is a proprietary trade name for a specific aroma chemical. When used as a fragrance ingredient in cosmetics, most aroma chemicals fall under the broad labeling category of “FRAGRANCE” or “PARFUM” according to EU and US regulations.

The term 'parfum' or 'fragrance' is not regulated in many countries. In many cases, it is up to the brand to define this term.

For instance, many brands choose to label themselves as "fragrance-free" because they are not using synthetic fragrances. However, their products may still contain ingredients such as essential oils that are considered a fragrance by INCI standards.

One example is Calendula flower extract. Calendula is an essential oil that still imparts a scent or 'fragrance'.

Depending on the blend, the ingredients in the mixture can cause allergies and sensitivities on the skin. Some ingredients that are known EU allergens include linalool and citronellol.

Parfum can also be used to mask or cover an unpleasant scent.

The bottom line is: not all fragrances/parfum/ingredients are created equally. If you are worried about fragrances, we recommend taking a closer look at an ingredient. And of course, we always recommend speaking with a professional.

Retinal (aka retinaldehyde) is a form of retinoid that formulators use mainly as an antiaging and skin-renewing active.

What makes it special is its position in the retinoid family; skin converts it to retinoic acid (the prescription gold standard) in just one step.

Because retinal only requires 1 conversion step to become retinoic acid, it's the strongest over-the-counter retinoid. It also works at lower concentrations than retinol, since retinal is about 10x more bioavailable.

Studies back up its efficacy in skin:

A foundational trial showed that applying 0.05-0.5% retinal for 1-3 months produced a dose-dependent and significant increase in epidermal thickness + cell turnover markers.

And a head-to-head comparison of 0.05% retinal against a 0.05% retinoid acid found both formulations were effective for the basis of wrinkle/skin roughness features, but retinoic acid caused more local irritation.

More recent controlled trials confirm it improves wrinkles, dermal density, and firmness over 12-24 weeks, with significant improvements in skin texture and firmness (particularly with the higher 0.1% concentration).

Retinal also has one trick the other retinoids do not: it directly fights against acne bacteria since a clinical study showed retinaldehyde-treated areas displayed a significant decrease in counts of viable P. acnes.

This makes it a great pick for people who want to treat aging and breakouts.

Typical cosmetic use sits in the 0.05-0.1% range with 0.05% being the gentle starting point and 0.1% giving stronger results.

Like all retinoids, retinal works best with nightly use, a good moisturizer, and daytime sunscreen. It can cause some irritation so ease into it slowly rather than going all in.

The "ramp up" method works well: start with Retinal once a week to give your skin time to adjust, which keeps irritation low.

Slowly add more nights until you reach your goal frequency once your skin feels comfortable.

Retinoids also make your skin more sensitive to the sun in the first few weeks, so wear sunscreen every morning and protect your skin from direct sun while you build up tolerance.

Tocopherol is a fat-soluble antioxidant known as Vitamin E.

You'll find this ingredient in the vast majority of skincare (for good reason). It works to neutralize free radicals, or unstable molecules generated by UV exposure, pollution, and other environmental stressors, before they can cause oxidative damage to your skin cells.

Topically applied tocopherol has been shown to protect against UV damage by ramping up the skin's own natural defense enzymes.

It also acts as a skin conditioning agent; some studies show that regular topical use can improve the skin's water-binding capacity over 2-4 weeks.

This ingredient is especially loved for being a team player. When combined with Vitamin C, the photoprotective effect of both ingredients roughly doubles and the combo also helps reduce UV-induced DNA damage.

This ingredient has some brightening potential but it's more of a prevention ingredient than spot-fader. Cell studies show it can slow down melanin production but it's worth noting that it's not the most powerful brightener out there.

In formulations, it also serves as a stabilizer that helps protect other oxidation-prone ingredients from degrading.

Concentrations usually range from 0.1-1% in most leave-on products.

Tromethamine (aka THAM) is a synthetic amino acid that shows up in skincare as a helper ingredient.

It functions as a pH adjuster to help neutralize acidic ingredients and set a formula's pH to the right spot.

This matters a lot because a lot of actives (like vitamin C) needs a specific pH to work well and feel comfortable on skin.

Concentration use ranges from 0.1-1.0% depending on the formula.

Water. It's the most common cosmetic ingredient of all. You'll usually see it at the top of ingredient lists, meaning that it makes up the largest part of the product.

So why is it so popular? Water most often acts as a solvent - this means that it helps dissolve other ingredients into the formulation.

You'll also recognize water as that liquid we all need to stay alive. If you see this, drink a glass of water. Remember to stay hydrated!

Xanthan gum is used as a stabilizer and thickener within cosmetic products. It helps give products a sticky, thick feeling - preventing them from being too runny.

On the technical side of things, xanthan gum is a polysaccharide - a combination consisting of multiple sugar molecules bonded together.

Xanthan gum is a pretty common and great ingredient. It is a natural, non-toxic, non-irritating ingredient that is also commonly used in food products.

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